A Great Resume Blog

Comebacks for "You're Overqualified!!!"

Has anyone ever made this statement to you, "You are overqualified for the job"? Isn't that rather frustrating - you know you can do the job extraordinarily well - so why did this person just make this statement?

Here's why...

This statement is a disguise - it doesn't have to do with your qualifications, knowledge, or talent. It's a catch-all phrase used to avoid being candid because the company has fears about hiring you or saw or heard something they simply did not like. They view hiring you as a RISK.

If they saw something or heard a job candidate say something they simply didn't like (such as a person looking totally unkempt, or maybe the candidate made some inappropriate statement about religion or politics), there's not much the job candidate can do at that point. So, they will drag out the, "You are overqualified statement." It's ambiguous. (I could write an article on this topic, but we will leave it as is.)

When an interviewer makes this statement, it basically means they think you have too many years of experience, you want too much money, your education is more than what is required, or they see the job as being a step down from where you are now in your career and are afraid you will jump ship.

Conversely, maybe they didn't like the clothes you wore to the interview, maybe one of your references did not have tremendously glowing comments about you, there may be many other reasons. However, the company will NEVER say, "Well, it looked like you slept in your suit last night," or "One of your references must have been having a bad day." So hence the old "you are overqualified" statement is used.

Because they view hiring you as a RISK, you will need to break down the walls and overcome their "fear." Find out what they mean, drill down and find out the real reason they make this statement. Then eliminate their fear. Do the best you can to find the source of this statement.

Let's suppose you went to an interview and the job was a perfect match, or so you thought.  A week has passed and you reconnect with the interviewer. You are told, "We feel you are overqualified for the job." Here are a few comebacks to use, design these "ideas" around your particular situation. Don't simply use the statements as is.

1. Most people would say that I am NOT overqualified but FULLY qualified. May I ask you a question - could you please tell me the problem you have with someone doing the job BETTER than you expected?

2. Are you concerned about hiring someone with solid experience and credentials? What if I worked for you for a month absolutely free? That would give you a chance to see my work and see how I can resolve your problems with XXX. I can hit the ground running and I will require very minimal management whereas a less experienced person would need a lot of guidance and handholding. What do you think of my proposal?

3.  You sound concerned you think I may jump ship when someone else discusses another job opportunity with me. Is that correct?  The job we are discussing is so attractive to me I will sign a contract committing to stay with your company for one year.  How else can I persuade you I'm the best person for this role?

4. It's true; I've worked at a higher level position than this current role. I'm looking for a challenging position that is somewhat less demanding than my current job. I need more of a work/life balance. This is the perfect job for me. Do you need to know about my qualifications and how I can resolve your problems with XXX?

5. Salary is not my top priority at this stage in my life. My children have recently graduated college and I am moving into a smaller home. What else do you need to know?

6. Or... You are correct. I bring too much to the table for this position. Would you be willing to speak with me about an appropriate position when one is available?

Use these six comeback statements to fit your particular need. Do the best you can to drill down and REALLY find the reason behind their statement, then present your case ... again. :)

JoAnn Nix, Certified Professional Resume Writer and Career Coach

How to Sharpen Your Telephone Interviewing Skills

If you are in a job search, I'm sure you will have to leave countless voice mail messages. Here are some very simple guidelines to help ensure the person receiving your call will return it.

1. Speak slowly and crisply so that you can be understood. Don't speak 100 miles per hour. No one has the time to play a voice message over countless times to understand the message. Speak slowly, pause every now and then, speak clearly and loud.

2. Pronounce your name distinctly - spell it if appropriate. Announce your telephone number two times, at the beginning and end of message so the person doesn't have to listen to a long message to retrieve your phone number. Here's an example: "This is JoAnn Nix (N-I-X). My number is xxx-xxx-xxx. I am calling about....."

3. Above all else, state your phone number SLOWLY. I listen to countless voice mail messages a day, and I have to replay many of them several times in order to write the number.

4. Another smart thing to do is to let the caller know when you are available. I know we are all busy, and everyone hates telephone tag. Just be specific, "I may be reached between the hours of 8 and 12 Monday morning and after 4 Monday afternoon." Be sure to state your time zone!

5. Exude a sense of confidence and professionalism. Let someone hear you "smile!"

These are all very simple rules, but the fact is most people ignore the courteous guidelines. They try to speak 100 miles an hour to say a lot in a few seconds. But, you won't get a return phone call if you don't speak slowly and clearly enough for someone to understand your name and telephone number. No one is going to return a call when they don't even know who they will be calling back. :)